The present invention relates to a compressor discharge system for managing a flow of compressed fluid (e.g., air) exiting an air compressor.
Air compressor discharge systems are used in a variety of applications, including natural gas and oil exploration, where customers require a service line to be connected to a source of compressed air so that the customers may use the compressed air as needed. These systems typically include an air compressor, along with components such as a separator tank and various other separator elements and lines that connect the air compressor to the customer service line.
During use, the air compressor is often exposed to downstream pressure fluctuations, whereby the customer service line pressure may drop from a normal operating pressure to a very low or zero operating pressure in a short amount of time. These rapid pressure fluctuations evacuate components of the air compressor discharge system of compressed air faster than the air compressor can replenish it, thus creating an instantaneously large pressure differential across components of the air compressor discharge system. These large pressure differentials can have an adverse effect on components within the air compressor discharge system. For example, some separator elements are known to fail or collapse at about a 50 psi pressure differential.